1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for shredding stubble or stalks left in the field from a previous harvesting operation and more specifically relates to a shredder attachment for a round bale hay baler which will effectively shred corn stalks or stubble, milo stubble and the like and discharge the shredded stubble into a round bale hay baler which will form a bale of stubble which has been shredded which can be used for feed, bedding and the like. The shredding attachment can be easily and quickly attached to a round bale hay baler at the front lower area thereof and is drivingly connected to the power system of the hay baler and includes a rotatable shaft having a plurality of pivotal flail elements or knives mounted thereon for shredding stubble or stalks and discharging the shredded material rearwardly and upwardly into the hay baler in the same manner that hay enters the hay baler with the shredded stubble being rolled into a hay bale in the same manner that hay is baled by the round bale hay baler. The shredder attachment provides short, chopped material which facilitates baling and provides a one pass operation thus eliminating separate shredding and raking operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various shredding devices have been provided in which stubble or stalks from a harvested crop can be shredded. Usually, the shredder is a self-contained device which deposits the shredded material onto the ground surface which requires a second raking or pick-up operation. The prior art also includes chopping or shredding units attached to balers of the type which produce generally rectangular bales. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. relate to this subject matter.
2,817,945 PA1 3,362,144 PA1 3,483,688 PA1 3,641,754 PA1 3,894,484
None of the above listed patents disclose the specific arrangement of the shredding unit associated with a round bale hay baler and they do not disclose the specific structural details of the attachment or the attaching structure.